The advancement of techniques and methods for detection of biological and non-biological samples for pathogens, drugs, toxins, and the like provides important tools for clinical practitioners as well as for military and paramedic personnel. Such techniques and methods for pathogen detection have additional application to fields other than medicine, including testing food, beverages, and consumer goods for pathogens or contaminants.
Detection techniques typically involve subjecting a sample to a prescribed sequence of fluid transfer, mixing, reaction, and detection steps, all within a contained fluidic system.
Certain of these devices are limited in application, however, because they may not be ideal for transport to and through a rugged field environment where pathogen testing may be necessary. Other devices are complex and are reliably operated only by trained personnel and may be slow to produce results. Accordingly, such systems are not well-suited for use by personnel lacking specialized training or by personnel who may be called upon to perform pathogen testing while under duress.
Further, existing detection systems arrange system components in a linear fashion wherein elements are only accessed sequentially, and may not be capable of effecting more intricate fluid actuation schemes, such as repeatedly transporting fluid between two or more components of a fluidic circuit before then transporting the fluid to subsequent downstream components. This limitation reduces the utility of existing systems in that intricate fluid transport schemes may be necessary to detect certain pathogens.
Accordingly, there is a need for robust devices capable of assaying samples for pathogens, drugs, toxins, bacteria, viruses, medical abnormalities, and the like. Because pathogen detection schemes include multiple mixing, washing, and reacting steps, there is a related need for an apparatus capable of actuating complex schemes of fluid motion. The value of such a device would be further enhanced if its use did not require a specially trained operator.